Overview

• Flight AI2354, an Airbus A320Neo scheduled to depart Mumbai on June 25, was held back more than five hours when hay was spotted under its left wing during pre-flight checks.
• The obstruction was cleared quickly but the original crew exceeded regulatory duty-time limits, postponing the takeoff until around 1 p.m.
• Passengers were disembarked and offered refreshments while awaiting a fresh crew and final technical clearance.
• Air India has asked its Mumbai ground handler to investigate the source of the hay and has reported the incident to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
• The incident comes after DGCA’s nationwide safety audits following the June 12 Ahmedabad crash, which uncovered multiple maintenance and operational violations.